The 1934 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publ ...

in the

1934 college football season The 1934 college football season was the 66th season of college football in the United States. Two New Year's Day bowl games were initiated to rival the Rose Bowl Game. On February 15, Warren V. Miller and Joseph M. Cousins organized the New Or ...

. It was the Crimson Tide's 41st overall season and 2nd as a member of the

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...

(SEC). The team was led by head coach Frank Thomas, in his fourth year, and played their home games at Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,

Legion Field Legion Field is an outdoor stadium in the southeastern United States in Birmingham, Alabama, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football, but occasionally used for other large outdoor events. Opened in 1927, it is named in ho ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

and the

Cramton Bowl Cramton Bowl is a 25,000-seat stadium located in Montgomery, Alabama. Cramton Bowl opened in 1922 as a baseball stadium and has been home to Major League Baseball spring training and to minor league baseball. Today, however, its primary use is f ...

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County, Alabama, Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the Gulf Coastal Plain, coas ...

. They finished the season with a perfect record (10–0 overall, 7–0 in the SEC), as Southeastern Conference champions for the second consecutive season and defeated

Stanford Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. S ...

in the Rose Bowl. Five of the 13 selectors recognized as official by the NCAA ( Berryman,

Dunkel Dunkel, or Dunkles, is a word used for several types of dark German lager. ''Dunkel'' is the German word meaning ''dark'', and dunkel beers typically range in color from amber to dark reddish brown. They are characterized by their smooth malty f ...

Houlgate Houlgate () is a small tourist resort in northwestern France along the English Channel with a beach and a casino. It is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region. History Pre-19th century Houlgate developed as a hamlet in t ...

, Poling, and Williamson) recognize the 1934 Alabama team as the national champion. Sportswriter Morgan Blake called it the best football team he ever saw.

Schedule

Game summaries

Howard

*Source: To open the 1934 season, Alabama scored touchdowns in all four quarters and defeated Howard College (now Samford University) 24–0 at Denny Stadium.1934 Season Recap Dixie Howell scored in the first on a two-yard run and Joe Riley scored in the second on a three-yard run to give the Crimson Tide a 12–0 halftime lead. Joe Demyanovich then scored both second half touchdowns with his seven-yard run in the third and one-yard run in the fourth for the 24–0 victory. The Howard squad was led by former Alabama player and assistant coach Clyde "Shorty" Propst in his first game against his alma mater. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Howard to 13–0.

Sewanee

*Source: In June 1934, coach Thomas announced their game against Sewanee would be moved from Tuscaloosa to the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. In what was their conference opener, Alabama defeated the

Tigers The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...

, 35–6, at Montgomery. Alabama took a 14–0 lead in the first quarter after scoring touchdowns on successive possessions. Dixie Howell scored first with his short run on offense and James Angelich scored a defensive touchdown on the next series after he

intercepted In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...

a Tigers pass and ran it back 23 yards for the score. Sewanee responded in the second quarter with an 87-yard Ruch interception return for a touchdown to cut the Alabama lead to 14–6 at the half. Alabama then closed the game with three unanswered touchdowns for the 35–6 victory. Touchdowns were scored by Howell on a 61-yard run and by Joe Demyanovich on a short run in the third, and on a 15-yard Young Boozer run in the fourth. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Sewanee to 15–10–3. This game was originally scheduled to kick off at 8:00 pm on Friday, October 5, and it was to have been the first night game played by Alabama in their history. After a mutual agreement was reached between both head coaches, the game was postponed to the following afternoon as a result of a major rain event that made the playing surface at the Cramton Bowl unplayable. The Crimson Tide would not compete in their first night game for another six seasons when they defeated Spring Hill to open the 1940 season.

Mississippi State

*Source: Against their long-time rival, the Mississippi State

Maroons Maroons are descendants of Africans in the Americas who escaped from slavery and formed their own settlements. They often mixed with indigenous peoples, eventually evolving into separate creole cultures such as the Garifuna and the Mascogos. ...

, Alabama won 41–0 at Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide scored two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters to take a commanding 28–0 lead at halftime. In the first, James Angelich scored on a 48-yard run and Riley Smith

a Charles Armstrong pass and returned it 64-yards for a score. In the second,

Bear Bryant Paul William "Bear" Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, and best known as the head coach of ...

scored on a reception and later on an 80-yard

kickoff Kickoff or kick-off may refer to * Kick-off (association football) * Kickoff (gridiron football) * ''Kick Off'' (series), a series of computer association football games * ''Kick Off'' (album), a 1985 album by Onyanko Club * ''Kick Off'' (mag ...

return for a touchdown by Young Boozer. After a scoreless third, the Crimson Tide scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns on Boozer runs of 74 and 8-yards for the 41–0 win. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi State 17–4–2.

Tennessee

*Source: Against rival

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...

, Alabama defeated the

Volunteers Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

, 13–6 at Legion Field. After a scoreless first quarter that featured several defensive stops for each team, both scored second-quarter touchdowns to tie the game 6–6 at the half. Joe Demyanovich scored for Alabama first on an eight-yard run and then Tennessee tied the game on a two-yard George Craig run. During the Volunteers scoring drive,

was ejected from the game due to an

unsportsmanlike conduct Unsportsmanlike conduct (also called untrustworthy behaviour or ungentlemanly fraudulent or bad sportsmanship or poor sportsmanship or anti fair-play) is a foul or offense in many sports that violates the sport's generally accepted rules of sport ...

penalty. In the third,

Don Hutson Donald Montgomery Hutson (January 31, 1913 – June 26, 1997) was an American professional football player and assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played as an end and spent his entire 11-year professional career with th ...

scored the game-winning touchdown on an end-around run. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Tennessee 11–5–1.

Georgia

*Source: Against

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, Alabama outgained the

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose. Dixie Howell scored first for the Crimson Tide with his touchdown run on Alabama's third offensive play of the game. Howell then scored in the second quarter on a three-yard touchdown run to give the Crimson Tide a 13–0 halftime lead. Alabama further extended their lead to 26–0 in the third quarter on a 38-yard James Angelich and two-yard Joe Demyanovich touchdown run. However, the defense was unable to complete the

shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...

as Maurice Greene scored for the Bulldogs on a seven-yard run in the fourth to make the final score 26–6. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia to 12–11–3.

Kentucky

*Source: In what was their first road game of the season, Alabama defeated the

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

Wildcats 34–14 on

homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...

at McLean Stadium.

scored the first touchdown with his 10-yard run and was followed with a three-yard Tilden Campbell touchdown run to give Alabama a 14–0 lead at the end of the first. Joe Riley then scored on a 16-yard run in the second to give the Crimson Tide a 21–0 halftime lead. Kentucky cut the lead to 21–7 in the third when Bert Johnson scored on a four-yard run. Both teams then traded fourth-quarter touchdowns to make the final score 34–14. Alabama scored first on an 11-yard

run, next was Johnson for the Wildcats with his 69-yard run and then Joe Riley threw a 38-yard pass to Young Boozer for the final score of the afternoon. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Kentucky 13–1.

Clemson

*Sources: On homecoming at Denny Stadium, Alabama defeated the Clemson

of the

Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly k ...

40–0 in Tuscaloosa. In the game, Alabama scored a touchdown in each of the first three quarters before doubling the score with three fourth-quarter touchdowns. Dixie Howell threw a three-yard touchdown pass to

in the first quarter, Riley Smith scored in the second on a one-yard

quarterback sneak A quarterback sneak is a play in gridiron football in which the quarterback, upon taking the center snap, dives ahead while the offensive line surges forward. It is usually only used in very short yardage situations. The advantages of this play ...

and then Howell connected again with Hutson, this time from 26-yards, to give Alabama a 20–0 lead as they entered the fourth quarter. In the fourth, Young Boozer scored on a 27-yard run, Howell on an eight-yard run and Smith on an 18-yard run for the 40–0 win. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Clemson to 4–3.

Georgia Tech

*Source: Against the

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

, Alabama shutout the

Yellow Jackets Yellowjacket or yellowjacket is the common name in North America for predatory social wasps of the genera ''Vespula'' and ''Dolichovespula''. Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of thes ...

40–0 at Grant Field. Joe Demyanovich started the scoring for Alabama in the first with his four-yard touchdown run. In the second, Dixie Howell scored a touchdown on 65-yard punt return and then he threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to

to give the Crimson Tide a 20–0 halftime lead. After Riley Smith scored on a six-yard run and Howell on a five-yard run in the third, Joe Riley threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ralph Gandy in the fourth quarter and made the final score 40–0. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Georgia Tech to 8–10–2.

Vanderbilt

*Source: In the regular season finale on

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...

, Alabama defeated the Vanderbilt

Commodores Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in ...

34–0 to capture their second consecutive SEC championship and secure a place in the

Rose Bowl Game The Rose Bowl Game is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 (New Year's Day) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2. The Ro ...

. James Angelich scored on a four-yard run and Dixie Howell on a 21-yard run to give the Crimson Tide a 13–0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Alabama then scored one touchdown in each of the final three quarters to make the final score 34–0. Joe Demyanovich scored on a short run in the second, on a 70-yard Angelich

interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team ...

return in the third and on a 15-yard Howell run in the fourth. The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Vanderbilt to 7–8.

Stanford

*Source: Immediately after their victory over Vanderbilt in the season finale, University president George Denny accepted an invitation to play in the

1935 Rose Bowl The 1935 Rose Bowl was the 21st Rose Bowl game, an American post-season college football game that was played on New Year's Day 1935 in Pasadena, California. It featured the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Stanford Indians.2009 Kickoff Luncheon ...

against the

Indians. In the game, which was a rematch of their draw in the

1927 Rose Bowl The 1927 Rose Bowl Game was a college football bowl game held on January 1, 1927, in Pasadena, California. The game featured the Alabama Crimson Tide, of the Southern Conference, and Stanford, of the Pacific Coast Conference, now the Pac-12 Confer ...

, the Crimson Tide overwhelmed the Indians with their 29–13 victory before 84,474 fans at Pasadena. The Stanford defense shined in the first quarter, as Alabama had only four yards total offense. The Indians then took a 7–0 lead later in the quarter after

Bobby Grayson Bobby Grayson (December 8, 1914 – September 22, 1981) was an American football player. He was a two-time consensus All-American player who led the Stanford University football team to three consecutive Rose Bowl Games from 1933 to 1935. At St ...

scored on a short run to complete a drive set up after Keith Topping recovered a Joe Demyanovich

fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...

. Early in the second, Dixie Howell scored on a five-yard run, but Riley Smith missed the

extra point The conversion, try (American football, also known as a point(s) after touchdown, PAT, or (depending on the number of points) extra point/2-point conversion), or convert (Canadian football) occurs immediately after a touchdown during which the sc ...

and Stanford still led 7–6. After the Alabama touchdown, Stanford chose to

rather than receive the ball after the score. On the resulting Alabama possession, the Crimson Tide took a 9–7 lead after Smith connected on a 27-yard

field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...

. For the second time, Stanford again chose to kickoff rather than receive the ball, and two plays later Howell scored on a 67-yard touchdown run and made the score 16–7. Then Alabama

a Stanford pass, and took the ball at the 46-yard line with only eight seconds left. Joe Riley then threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to

to put Alabama up 22–7 at halftime. Stanford scored in the third on a 12-yard Elzo Van Dellen touchdown run but could get no closer to the lead. Alabama finished the game with a 59-yard Howell to Hutson touchdown pass in the fourth and made final score 29–13.

Awards

After the season, Alabama had three players selected by consensus to the

1934 College Football All-America Team The 1934 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1934. The nine selectors recognized by the ...

. These players were: *

at end * Dixie Howell at halfback * Bill Lee at tackle

National championship claim

The NCAA recognizes consensus national champions as the teams that have captured a championship by way of one of the major polls since the

1950 college football season The 1950 college football season finished with the unbeaten and untied Oklahoma Sooners (9–0) being the consensus choice for national champion. On New Year's Day, however, the Sooners were upset by the Kentucky Wildcats (ranked No. 7 in the ...

. Prior to 1950, national championships were chosen by a variety of selectors, and in the 1980s, Alabama claimed the 1934 championship as one of its now 18 national championships. As such, Alabama claims a share of the 1934 national championship, with

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...

, due to each school being selected national champion by various major selectors. Specifically, Alabama was selected national champion in 1934 by Dunkel, Houlgate, Poling System and Williamson.

Personnel

Varsity letter winners

Coaching staff

References

General * Specific {{Southeastern Conference football champions

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

Alabama Crimson Tide football seasons College football national champions Southeastern Conference football champion seasons Rose Bowl champion seasons College football undefeated seasons

Alabama Crimson Tide football The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama (variously Alabama, UA, or Bama) in the sport of American football. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Ass ...